Africa-Press – Cape verde. Supporting local fishermen and promoting responsible fish consumption is the objective of the “Fish Festival”, promoted by the Association for the Defense of the Environment and Development (ADAD), in the town of Porto Mosquito.
The activity, in this fishing town in the interior of Ribeira Grande de Santiago, falls within the scope of the “Do Mar ao Prato” Project, and is referred to as “a celebration of local culture, sustainability and the richness of Cape Verde’s marine resources ”.
The coordinator of ADAD projects, Ana Gonçalves, said that the “Festival de Peixe” aims to create a chain of values, so fishermen have already been provided with hygiene and safety training, microcredit and methodologies to organize themselves in a cooperative. and following the requirements for sustainable fishing.
With this project, it is expected that the fish will arrive directly from Porto Mosquito to hotels and consumers in Cidade da Praia and Cidade Velha in the form of better quality baskets, complying with catch standards and, at the same time, combating sub-fishing in Cape Verde.
“We know that there are fish that are less consumed and that are not served in hotels. We want to promote the consumption of these types of seasonal fish such as bidião, mackerel and other types such as cat that are caught, but are not prepared in hotels”, explained Gonçalves.
The beneficiaries of the project, namely fishermen from Porto Mosquito and Cidade Velha, he noted, are receiving training at the Cape Verde School of Hotel and Tourism, to learn more about how to prepare these fish, aiming to make them more attractive. , and at the same time learn the techniques for producing fishmeal.
In addition to a variety of fresh fish on sale, the “Festival de Peixe” is being marked by the tasting of a selection of fish dishes prepared by the trainees, to guarantee a unique gastronomic experience and live music with a DJ, local artists and performances of traditional batucadeiras.
The “Do Mar ao Prato” Project is an initiative led by ADAD, in collaboration with the University of Aveiro (Portugal), among other partners and has the main objective of revitalizing local fish supply chains, promoting sustainable and responsible fishing. .
To achieve this objective, the project aims to develop and test the concept of “Fish Basket”, an innovative strategy that creates a value chain from the sea to the plate, values artisanal fishing, diversifies the fish supply and creates a market sustainable for less popular species.
The project also seeks to raise awareness among consumers about the importance of responsible consumption of seafood products, by promoting a culture of conscious consumption.
This initiative deserved the satisfaction of the secretary of the Association of Fishermen, Shipowners and Fishmongers of Porto Mosquito, Admilson de Barros, claiming that the bay of Porto Mosquito has a total of 78 small boats with open mouths and that everyone who lives at sea already are aware of the protection of the sea and the environment that surrounds them, in this natural reserve.
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